Pick #14: Trayce Jackson-Davis Over 21.5 points
While he has been a major contributor for the Indiana Hoosiers since his freshman year, Jackson-Davis is having his best season ever as a senior. The six-foot-nine forward is averaging 20.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game and is shooting the ball at 57.8% from the field. Whether or not he succeeds in the NBA, Jackson-Davis has made his mark at Indiana.
Even as the Hoosiers have floundered over the past month, Jackson-Davis has remained a steady contributor. He has scored 23 points or more in seven of his last nine games, and 19+ points in eight of those contests. Jackson-Davis has managed to put up these numbers even against some of the best defensive teams in the country during Big Ten play.
When Jackson-Davis has had any trouble scoring at all, it has come against teams like Purdue who boast elite big men like Zach Edey. Luckily for the Hoosiers, that won’t be a problem against the Kent State Golden Flashes on Friday.
If the underdogs have one glaring issue heading into this contest, it’s the lack of size that they can bring to the table to defend Jackson-Davis.
Senior forward Miryne Thomas will likely get the bulk of the work against the Indiana star. At 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds, he’s still giving up an inch and 30 pounds to Jackson-Davis.
And it only gets worse when you look at Kent State’s depth.
Sophomore Voncameron Davis is the only other forward who plays over 20 minutes per game for the Golden Flashes, and he comes in at 6-foot-5. We might see more of Chris Payton (6-foot-7) and sophomore center Cli’Ron Hornbeak (6-foot-9), though none of these players have the athleticism and physicality that Jackson-Davis brings to the table.
That means we can expect Indiana to run the offense through Jackson-Davis, possibly even more than it normally does. The undersized Kent State front court may have to send him to the line frequently just to attempt to contain him, which will pad his stat line even further.
Considering all of this, I’m looking to back Jackson-Davis on his points prop.
Pick #14: Trayce Jackson-Davis Over 21.5 points
While he has been a major contributor for the Indiana Hoosiers since his freshman year, Jackson-Davis is having his best season ever as a senior. The six-foot-nine forward is averaging 20.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game and is shooting the ball at 57.8% from the field. Whether or not he succeeds in the NBA, Jackson-Davis has made his mark at Indiana.
Even as the Hoosiers have floundered over the past month, Jackson-Davis has remained a steady contributor. He has scored 23 points or more in seven of his last nine games, and 19+ points in eight of those contests. Jackson-Davis has managed to put up these numbers even against some of the best defensive teams in the country during Big Ten play.
When Jackson-Davis has had any trouble scoring at all, it has come against teams like Purdue who boast elite big men like Zach Edey. Luckily for the Hoosiers, that won’t be a problem against the Kent State Golden Flashes on Friday.
If the underdogs have one glaring issue heading into this contest, it’s the lack of size that they can bring to the table to defend Jackson-Davis.
Senior forward Miryne Thomas will likely get the bulk of the work against the Indiana star. At 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds, he’s still giving up an inch and 30 pounds to Jackson-Davis.
And it only gets worse when you look at Kent State’s depth.
Sophomore Voncameron Davis is the only other forward who plays over 20 minutes per game for the Golden Flashes, and he comes in at 6-foot-5. We might see more of Chris Payton (6-foot-7) and sophomore center Cli’Ron Hornbeak (6-foot-9), though none of these players have the athleticism and physicality that Jackson-Davis brings to the table.
That means we can expect Indiana to run the offense through Jackson-Davis, possibly even more than it normally does. The undersized Kent State front court may have to send him to the line frequently just to attempt to contain him, which will pad his stat line even further.
Considering all of this, I’m looking to back Jackson-Davis on his points prop.
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